VELUX EHF Champions League 2015/16 line-up confirmed

All 16 teams for the VELUX EHF Champions League Groups A and B and further 11 sides for Groups C and D have been confirmed as the EHF Executive Committee in Krakow, Poland reached its decision on the teams taking part in the 2015/16 season.

There is just one place undecided, with the winner of the qualification tournament joining Groups C and D.

The 23rd edition of the Europe's premier club competition will see a new playing system with an extended number of participants (28 instead of last season's 24). 

The new system will see the VELUX EHF Champions League expand into a total of 20 markets across Europe.

After evaluating all 37 registered teams according to a criteria system that looked at eight different fields including past performances, venue, spectator, TV, marketing and media issues, the EHF Executive decided on the teams for Groups A and B, teams for Groups C and D and the qualification teams.

Based on the new criteria catalogue six requests for additional places have been approved. 

Montpellier Agglomeration HB (FRA), MOL-Pick Szeged (HUN), Orlen Wisla Plock (POL) and SG Flensburg-Handewitt (GER) will join German team Rhein Neckar Löwen and 11 national champions including the defending winners of the VELUX EHF Champions League FC Barcelona Lassa (ESP) in Groups A and B.

HC Metalurg (MKD) and Skjern Handbold (DEN) will play in Group C or D alongside eight national champions, second-placed Spanish team Naturhouse La Rioja and one qualifier.

The remaining six requests from RK Nexe (CRO), HBC Nantes, Saint-Raphael Var HB (both FRA), SC Magdeburg (GER), Gorenje Velenje (SLO) and Alingsas (SWE) were not granted.

In total, there will be five former winners of the EHF Champions League (FC Barcelona Lassa, THW Kiel, SG Flensburg-Handewitt, Celje Pivovarna Lasko and Montpellier Agglomeration HB) and at least three debutants, when the group phase of the new season commence on 16-20 September.

The last participant will be known only on 6 September following the qualification tournament with Elverum HH (NOR), Alpla HC Hard (AUT), Limburg Lions (NED) and RK Borac m:tel Banja Luka (BIH).

Click here to download PDF version of map
 

Draw on Friday 26 June

The draw for the qualification phase will take place on Friday 26 June at 18:30 hrs in Vienna and the draw for the group phase at 20:00 hrs. Handball fans can follow the event live on ehfTV.com. 

A draw preview and the seeding list will be published at the beginning of the coming week at eurohandball.com and ehfCL.com.

VELUX EHF Champions League 2015/16

Groups A&B:

THW Kiel (GER)
MKB-MVM Veszprem (HUN)
KIF Kolding Kobenhavn (DEN)
HC Vardar (MKD)
KS Vive Tauron Kielce (POL)
HC PPD Zagreb (CRO)
FC Barcelona Lassa (ESP)
Paris Saint Germain HB (FRA)
Rhein-Neckar Löwen (GER)
IFK Kristianstad (SWE)
RK Celje Pivovarna Lasko (SLO)
Besiktas Jimnastik Kulubu (TUR)
Montpellier HB (FRA)
MOL-Pick Szeged (HUN)
Orlen Wisla Plock (POL)
SG Flensburg-Handewitt (GER)

Groups C&D:

Kadetten Schaffhausen (SUI)
Tatran Presov (SVK)
HC Meshkov Brest (BLR)
Chekhovskie Medvedi (RUS)
Naturhouse La Rioja (ESP)
HC Vojvodina Novi Sad (SRB)
HC Motor (UKR)
Futebol Clube do Porto (POR)
HCM Baia Mare (ROU)
HC Metalurg (MKD)
Skjern Handbold (DEN)

Qualication tournament

ALPLA HC Hard (AUT)
RK Borac m:tel (BIH)
Limburg Lions (NED)
Elverum Handball Herrer (NOR)